After weeks of tussle between factions of Kerala Congress (Mani), the Election Commission has recognised Jose K Mani’s faction as the original party. Jose K Mani, the son of KC(M) founder late KM Mani, and senior legislator PJ Joseph, have been leading rival factions ever since a controversy arose over the post of the Kottayam panchayat president. On Monday, the poll panel allotted the party symbol of two leaves to Jose’s faction.
Expressing his happiness, Jose Mani said truth has finally triumphed.
"This is a victory for KM Mani. We lost the Pala bye-election because we did not have the symbol. We will now seek the resignation of the legislators in the faction led by Joseph," he said.
On the other hand, Joseph said that they will go in appeal against the EC directive.
The differences between the two leaders of the KC(M) – an ally of the Congress forming the United Democratic Front (UDF) – had recently led to the ouster of Jose’s faction from the UDF. The ouster was made on the grounds that Jose’s faction did not abide by the agreement over the panchayat president post.
Last week, when the UDF moved a no-confidence motion against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, Jose’s faction had stayed away from it while Joseph was part of it.
KM Mani, who represented Pala assembly constituency in Kottayam district from 1967 till he passed away last year, was the final authority in the party and Joseph was second in command.
But soon after the 2016 assembly polls, when the party broke away from the Congress-led UDF and decided to sit as a separate block, differences surfaced between Mani and Joseph and the rift intensified after KM Mani’s death. The feud even led to the party stronghold of Pala falling into the Left's hands.
While Joseph has three legislators, the Jose Mani faction has two.
(With IANS input)